Midnight Tango (Southampton – tour)
Midnight Tango is a sumptuous, explosive & sexy tango, featuring mesmerising choreography , alongside wonderful music. Resulting in a highly entertaining and visually stunning extravaganza.
Short-listed for an Olivier Award in the ‘Best Entertainment and Family’ category it contains 17 musical tracks. Combining Latin passion and Jazz virtuosity played superbly by ensemble, Tango Siempre, whose on-stage presence adds authenticity to the whole production and features singer Miguel Angel.
Morgan Large`s set is an atmospheric representation of a down-town Buenos Aires bar and services the cast well. Taking the audience on an explosive journey into the heart of this exciting city this is a story woven in dance, of life and love and combines jealousy, pain, danger, excitement, and passion.
Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, stars of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, wow us with their sensual chemistry and a breath-taking evening kicks off with Act 1 setting the scene as young lovers Pablo (Simone) and Sofia (Cacace) give a commanding force on stage. Their choreography is a joy to behold, making it difficult to look elsewhere.
Musical Theatre stalwarts Teddy Kempner and Tricia Deighton provide good comedy moments as middle-aged bar owners Rosa and Carlos, reliving and reminiscing their courtship. Whilst the villain of the piece – El Gato- played by Guillermo Torrens, gives a convincing, macho performance as he seduces and lures Sofia away from Pablo.
Act 2 really takes off and Simone & Cacace are on fire! The wonderful tango music, ‘La Cumparista’ is a crowd pleaser and the audience loves the storm effects and the accompanying dancing. The highlight of the show is undoubtedly Simone and Cacace`s show dance. It is passionate, tense, emotional and beautiful with lovely close embrace movements, enhanced by the lighting that gives it that extra romantic quality. So much so that it feels almost voyeuristic watching them.
The emotional scene where Carlos buys Rosa a tango dress and the couple perform their own delightful version of the tango leaves the audience visible moved.
The finale is a spell-binding extravaganza of breath-taking moves and footwork, enhanced by truly fabulous Latin attire. The group dance work is superb, creating stunning shapes and patterns. Featuring ten of the finest tango dancers in the world, it is produced by the acclaimed choreographer, Arlene Phillips and Adam Spiegel. This exciting show is directed by Karen Bruce, who’s recent credits include Pacific Overture, for which she won an Olivier Award; Footloose; Fame and Brighton Rock.
The whole production is exciting. Fusing intoxicating tango rhythms with dazzling choreograph to produce a dramatic, sensual and elegant interpretation of this most exciting dance form.
